Big (Israeli) parties vexed by record low voter turnout

[villager]

BBig parties vexed by record low voter turnout

By Haaretz Staff

The three largest parties, Kadima, Labor, and Likud, were under mounting pressure Tuesday evening, fearing that the lowest voter turnout in Israeli electoral history may sap their strength in the next Knesset. A low turnout is expected to work in favor of smaller, ideology-driven parties, especially those of the right. It may also enable such issue-based factions as the Pensioners party to enter the Knesset for the first time.

Figures released as of 6 P.M. showed voter turnout running some five percentage points behind that of the 2003 elections. Election officials said only 47 percent of eligible voters had cast ballots by 6 P.M., compared to nearly 53 percent at that hour in 2003.


http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/699377.html

[Demit]

1. your post is echoing!

[villager]

2. where?

n/t

[Demit]

5. LOL! Your first 2 grafs are your second 2 grafs. Read it again.

[villager]

6. the place I least expected it! Thanks!

weird -- I didn't paste twice, wonder what happened in "transmission?" oh well, it's fixed now...

[IsItJustMe]

3. They probably have a dysfunctional election process like we have here.

When I go into vote, I most often laugh instead of cry. Many of the seats are uncontested so it really doesn't matter anyway.

Then you have winner take all, the electorial college, and Diebold to contend with.

[Selatius]

4. At least the Israelis have three parties to our dysfunctional two

Then again, if those parties have done virtually nothing but continue the status quo in the West Bank/Gaza Strip for the last 30 years, I would be hard pressed to vote either if I were an Israeli citizen because then they'd be just as dysfunctional as our parties. If I were an Israeli citizen, the question is simple: Either Israel supports occupation, or it does not. Labor has been weak if not incompetent on answering the question, and Likud believes all West Bank/Gaza Strip land belongs to Israel and that Palestinians should be removed from every inch of that soil.

[High Plains]

7. Let's hear it for the Green Leaf Party

The Israeli pro-marijuana party may actually win a seat or two this time.

[villager]

8. radical, dude!

n/t